Changed 3.0 Duramax Fuel Filter

Time2gofishing1980 · January 22, 2021

Changed the fuel filter. Definitely need to pay attention to the torque when reinstalling the filter. I overtightened and fuel sprayed everywhere when I pressurized the system. Backed the filter out and properly torqued. No more leak. Old and new filter attached. The filter had a little about 19.6k on it when replaced.

Also sending an oil sample to Blackstone.

Jcollette33 · January 23, 2021

What’s the torque spec on the housing? I need to replace mine this weekend.

Time2gofishing1980 · January 23, 2021

You need a 36mm socket and torque to 25.5NM. The new filter should come with 2 O rings. The large one is for the filter cap and the small one goes on the tip of whatever the hell is sticking down inside the filter housing.

Jcollette33 · January 23, 2021

So if the conversion is right it should be around 19 ft lbs correct?

Time2gofishing1980 · January 23, 2021

23 minutes ago, Jcollette33 said:

So if the conversion is right it should be around 19 ft lbs correct?

Google tells me Yes. Personally, I don't know. My 3/8 torque wrench is set in NM

Jcollette33 · January 23, 2021

Thanks for the update. I was told by others to make sure it’s torqued right because it’s fairly easy to crack the plastic housing.

mjonesjr84 · January 24, 2021

What percentage was showing in the dash on your filter before you changed it?

I bet if you removed the new one after putting fuel in it, it would have looked very close to the old one.

Time2gofishing1980 · January 25, 2021

8 hours ago, mjonesjr84 said:

What percentage was showing in the dash on your filter before you changed it?

I bet if you removed the new one after putting fuel in it, it would have looked very close to the old one.

I had about 30% remaining. The weather was decent in NH and I'd rather change it when the temp is above 30*.

I thought it was fairly clean given almost 20k miles and around 940 gallons of diesel. I almost exclusively fill at a Shell station that has diesel lanes for rigs. It seems to be both high volume and high quality fuel.

Edited January 25, 2021 by Time2gofishing1980

TweetybyrdRT · February 2, 2021

I'm new to the Automotive Diesel world and have been swamped at work so I just took mine in for an oil change, decided I might as well get the fuel filter done since it was sitting at 32%. I don't want to pay that much again for a filter change! is there a certain procedure for changing the fuel filter so I can do it at home? what are the steps to purge the air and pressurise the system? I've done it many times long ago on marine diesels while I was in the Navy, but they were Dinosaurs (kina like me now).

redwngr · February 2, 2021

6 hours ago, TweetybyrdRT said:

I'm new to the Automotive Diesel world and have been swamped at work so I just took mine in for an oil change, decided I might as well get the fuel filter done since it was sitting at 32%. I don't want to pay that much again for a filter change! is there a certain procedure for changing the fuel filter so I can do it at home? what are the steps to purge the air and pressurise the system? I've done it many times long ago on marine diesels while I was in the Navy, but they were Dinosaurs (kina like me now).

The details are all in the 3.0L diesel supplement.

If your paper one is missing, a pdf can be downloaded from GM.

The 'bleed' procedure is just a matter of cycling the ignition. No hand pump like the older 6.6's and not crackinginjectors etc like the old mechanical injection systems.

This includes diagrams and info in addition to what is in the diesel supplement.

https://gm-techlink.com/?p=12232